Global Insights on Key G20 Summit Issues

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Leaders from the world's largest and most influential economies gather this weekend for the G20 Summit in Osaka, Japan, where they will tackle an ambitious agenda: the global economy, trade and investment, the environment and energy, innovation, employment, women's empowerment, development, and health.

Data snapshots from Gallup's global surveys provide some insight into how people living in G20 countries -- and elsewhere around the world -- stand on several of these key issues.

The Environment

Mixed Reviews on Efforts to Preserve the Environment Across the G20

French Prime Minister Emmanuel Macron this week called climate change a "red line" issue for the summit, vowing not to sign any joint statement from the G20 that did not address climate change.

Majorities in nine G20 member states, including France, are satisfied with their country's efforts to preserve the environment, while majorities in nine member states are dissatisfied.

The "most satisfied" list includes China, India, Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia, where at least three in four say they are satisfied with efforts to preserve the environment, while large majorities of those in Brazil, South Korea and Italy are dissatisfied.

Smaller majorities in the U.S. -- notably the only country in the G20 and the world to have announced its withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord -- Argentina, Mexico, Russia, South Africa and Turkey are dissatisfied.

Satisfaction With Efforts to Preserve the Environment in G20 Countries

In this country, are you satisfied or dissatisfied with efforts to preserve the environment?

Satisfied

Dissatisfied

%

%

Argentina

40

54

Australia

54

44

Brazil

30

66

Canada

58

41

China

78

18

European Union

49

46

France

51

45

Germany

58

38

India

76

19

Indonesia

75

23

Italy

23

74

Japan

49

42

Mexico

45

54

Russia

33

57

Saudi Arabia

76

22

South Africa

46

51

South Korea

29

64

Turkey

37

59

United Kingdom

61

36

United States of America

46

52

Gallup World Poll, 2018

Health

Acknowledging that "global health is an important topic that is essential as a basis for sustainable growth of the global economy," discussions at the summit are expected to cover the achievement of universal health coverage, aging societies and the management of health emergencies.

Gallup has asked people around the world to rate their satisfaction with their access to quality healthcare for more than a decade. In 2018, a record-high 65% of the world's adults said they were satisfied. The only G20 countries where satisfaction falls below a majority are Italy (49%), South Africa (48%), Russia (34%) and Brazil (33%).

Employment and Women's Empowerment

Large Gender Gaps Exist in the Workforce Across the G20

Women's empowerment -- particularly their participation in the workforce -- is also expected to emerge as a key theme of the summit.

Gallup World Poll data show that substantial percentages of women remain out of the workforce in nearly all G20 member countries. The gender gaps in host country Japan were wider in 2018 than in 2014, when many G20 countries signed the Brisbane Commitment to reduce the gender gap in labor force participation. Nearly half (47%) of Japanese women were out of the workforce in 2018, compared with 28% of Japanese men.

Results for these data are based on face-to-face and telephone interviews conducted in 2018, with a random sample of approximately 1,000 adults in each country, aged 15 and older. For results based on the total samples, the margin of sampling error ranges from ±2.0 percentage points to ±5.1 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. The margin of error reflects the influence of data weighting. In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.

Seventy percent of Americans describe the current U.S. healthcare system as being "in a state of crisis" or having "major problems." Negative ratings of the system are even higher among Democrats (84%).